West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-01-20
CLUYERIUS HANGED.
GOVERNOR REFUSED TO IN
TERFERE.
LAY OF Excitement in Richmond
History of the Young At
torney's Crime

The execution OF Cluysrius took place al
Riohmonl 1, Va, Friday He had been sen.
sentenced TO hang Dec. 10, 1885 but was re.
sPited untl January IA h. He died protest
ing bis innocence
AT l2:SO p. NJ. Mr. Beverly Crump returned
70 the Jail from his last visit 10 the Governor
and announced that the Governor had re-
tused TO Interfere. Cluveriu4 had up to this
moment cherished the hope that be would be
granted another repreve and when the Gov.
ernor's decision swas announced he became
greatly agitated. He was allowed few mo-
ments for preparation, after which he was
taken to the scaffold, where he vehemently y
protested that hs was innocent OF the crime.
The drop fell at 1850 p m, and twenty min,
ntes later the body was taken down.
IL is estimated that ten thousand persons
were around the lil at the tins OF the exc
cntton.
DISCOVERY OF THE CRIME
On the mornins OF March "a, 1885, L. Rose.
keeper OF the old city reservoir in the west
part OF the city, in making his usual rounds
OF inspection, discovered the body of a
woman IN the reservoir. II, at once notified
the Coroner, who had the body taken from
aojking woman OF about % year,. The Cor
oner after viewing the remains, pronounced
It a case of suicide and had the body removed
70 the morgue at the city almshouse
Tor Identification. Mr.. Peter j. Burton, n
reporter of the Richmond Dispatch, subse-
quently went to the reservoir and then to the
Enorgue, and his investigation resulted in the
formulation OF a murder theory on a chain Of
fc.rcumstantial evidence which convinced
many minds A further examination OF the
oody disclosed the fact that ths unfortunate
woman was far advanced in pregnancy.
Durlng two days many psopls saw the
oOuy' aUd 1t was finally recogn ze1 by two
young ladies, the Misses Dunstan as a friend
OF theirs, Miss Fannie Lillian Madison. Of
h'ng and Qleen county, bus who had for
some time past bsen teaching school in Bath
county. The Coroner's Inquest resulted in a
verdict Of probable murder. Detectives and
police were set to work and in O short time
brought to light circumstances that added
strength to the murder theory A woman
who had registered at the American Hotel on
March Is under the name OF Miss f. l.. Mer,
ton was missing from the hotel and her dis
appearance anc the finding of the BODY
about the same time furnished the fatal clue
but for which the murder might never have
been known. While the So called "Miss Mers
ton" was at the hotel she wrote aud received
several notes, but one directed by her was
never delivered, and after her departure
from the hotel it was torn to pieces by the
sierk and cast into the waste basket The
scraps Of this note and the envelope were
Fubsequsntly brought to light and when
pasted together it served as one Of the
principal links in the chain which convicted
the murderer, it being addressed TO set. ]
Cluverius." Further inquiry developed the
TACT that the man was a young lawyer OF
King and Q ieen county, and a cousin Of the
deceased. The discovery Of this note led TO
the arrest OF Cluverius, who was known to
have been in Richmond on March 10. He
was found at the residence of his aunt, Mrs
Iunstall, in King and QIeen county, and
brought to this city. He waived a prelimi-
mary examination and was sent to the Grand
Jury Of the Hastings Court.
Ciuverius was indicted in April for mur.
der, and his trial began at the May term Of
the court and continued for % days. Owing
TO the difficulty OF obtaining competent
jurors in Richmond, it was found necessary
TO draw talesmen from Alexandria, and a Jury
was finally impaneled with seven citizsns OF
Hichmond aud Ave Of Alexandria composing
A. The prisoner pleadeinot guilty and the
trial proceeded. Nearly two hundred witt
neHses were examined and step by sept tho
evidence hxe1 upon ths prisoner the
brand OF seducsr and murderer.
and when the able counsel on both side, had
concluded their Efforts for and against the
accused, tha jury after but few minute,
consideration, rendered a verdict OF murder
In the first degree. Tie prisoner throughout
the trial was cool and uudaunted. and bis
selt posse sion was fruitful theme OF conn
ment Hs c,u15A xnpseI Rt.every possi-
ole pom. = the evidence. md asked sor
new trial, which was refused and Cluverius
was sentenced 70 be hanged on November
90 1885. An appeal was then taken t. the
Supreme court Of the 5tato which, however
availoi the prisoner nothing except that it
stayed the execution for over a year, MS tho
court with bus one dissenting voice affirmed
the Judgment Of the lower court;
e-.-s--s